In the new Elder's manuel they said that if you molested someone or been molested than you can't be an Elder or a Ministerial Sevant even if it was before bastism . I find that to be wrong because I thought when you got basptised than all your sins are forgivin, but thats the case here I guess.
To Current Elders or Former Elders I have a question ?
by Pitchess Co-Gen 7 Replies latest jw experiences
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asilentone
Well, they speak from both sides of their mouths. They CAN be MS or Elders.
P.S. I was never an elder but I was MS for 3 years.
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Mad Sweeney
I don't think the new elders manual says that. I think it says the opposite. A guy CAN continue to serve as an elder if it was a long time ago. I don't have it with me to quote, though.
Anyone?
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neverendingjourney
I find that to be wrong because I thought when you got basptised than all your sins are forgivin, but thats the case here I guess.
It's a long story, but this line of questioning served to open my eyes. From a purely Biblical perspective, I think you're right. Nowhere in the Bible does it say men who have abused children (or who are "known" child abusers) are to be prevented from holding positions of responsibility in the congregation. The Bible DOES say that we are washed from our sins. So, from a Biblical perspective, there should be no reason why such a sin should disqualify a man from serving as MS, or elder. When the WT changed their official policy, it made me realize they were responding to political/legal pressure. They were afraid they were going to get hit with a series of lawsuits similar to the Catholic Church and decided to adjust their doctrine accordingly.
If the WT was God's handpicked religion on Earth, why would it cave to human pressure and legal concerns? It seemed unbecoming of a God's people. Of course, from a practical, non-indoctrinated perspective, it makes complete sense to protect children from people who have demonstrated a perverted tendency to take advantage of them. But common sense didn't matter to me when I was a JW; what the Bible said was ALL that mattered. Jehovah wiping out children in the flood made no sense to me, but it must have been just because that's what God wanted. If God didn't tell us that child molesters were to be permanently banned from serving in the congregations, then men had no place imposing their judgment for the will of God.
That was my thinking at the time. I'm glad I no longer hold those views. Once the indoctrination wore off, I could see the many, many flaws in the organization.
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neverendingjourney
As to your original question, my understanding is that whether or not a man may serve as an MS or elder turns on whether he's a "known" child molester.
Basically, if it happened a long time ago and it's not widely known in the community, and MS or elder can continue serving. However, if it becomes known, then he must be removed. There were secret letters outlining instructions along these lines that are on the board somewhere. The impression you get from reading WT literature is that no molester may serve, but the use of the word "known" opens up a big loop hole, the details of which escape me right now. I'm sure you can find all the info you want by doing a search. Only "known" molesters are banned. Who exactly is an "unknown" molester? That's the key question that's handled at the highest levels of the WT bureaucracy.
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jamiebowers
Hey there, NeverEndingJourney, nice to see you posting again, friend! Anyway, I know you seriously believed at one time, so this line of your post just cracked me up!:
If the WT was God's handpicked religion on Earth, why would it cave to human pressure and legal concerns? It seemed unbecoming of a God's people.
Unbecoming indeed!
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Out at Last!
I know at one time in the early '90's I saw a letter to the elders that said that someone who had a sex change could not serve in any capacity in the cong, male or female, or whichever they changed over to. For what it's worth. I don't know what the new elder's book says on these matters, I can not bring myself to read that crap anymore.
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neverendingjourney
Hi, Jamie. "Unbecoming" is a polite way of putting it...haha.